EWB Challenge Desgin

Engineers Without Borders

The Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Australia Challenge is an Australasian design program for first-year university students. Students work in teams to develop conceptual designs for sustainable development that contribute towards real international development projects.

Program

The program is based on the sustainable development projects from EWB’s growing list of past and present programs. Each year, the EWB Challenge design brief will be inviting students to tackle a new range of projects identified by EWB in conjunction with its community development program partners. Students will work in teams of 4 – 6 to design solutions for projects ranging from water supply and quality to sanitation, waste management, energy supply, transport, permaculture and infrastructure development.

Process

Participating universities may nominate up to four teams to submit their work to EWB.
These reports are reviewed by a judging panel and awards are made to outstanding contributions and include the EWB Challenge Overall Champion Award incorporating a study tour and visit the EWB Community Partner project sites and BHP Billiton Award.

The EWB Challenge helps to ensure students are inspired and motivated by their first year engineering experience.

Objectives

EWB brings together engineering students, young graduates, experienced engineers and even non-engineers as a team to tackle the issues of development and sustainability and help solve basic, small-scale engineering problems faced by many people in need.

EWB also aims to expand the dimensions of experience for engineers and engineering students through education and awareness-raising activities focused on sustainable development, appropriate technology and poverty alleviation. EWB is committed to working with universities, professional associations, high schools and industry to increase understanding of these issues.

Engineers Reignite Action

The EWB Challenge has partnered with Reignite Action for Development based in Bambui, Cameroon to deliver the 2015-2016 EWB Challenge.

Bambui is a rural community in the North West region (English speaking region) of Cameroon that is undergoing rapid urbanisation following the construction of a new university three years ago.
This rapid urbanisation is increasing the pressure on the existing water supply, sanitation, waste management and housing facilities available.

In 2014 EWB held a workshop with Reignite staff and community leaders in Bambui. During this workshop, nine broad design areas were discussed as well potential projects that would be of value to the Bambui community.

While Bambui was chosen as a case study for the EWB Challenge the ideas generated should be transferable to the entire Tubah Sub Division.

Design Projects

Students are required to create a design report and supporting materials that address one or more of these design areas creating a solution that could be of value to the community. All of the student design reports that are submitted to the EWB Challenge for review will be given to Reignite who will, in turn, share them with community leaders and organisations in Bambui.

Information is often shared orally and visually in Bambui. Students should take this into consideration when completing their reports to ensure that the ideas they generate can be easily shared with the community members. This could be in the form of drawings and or a supplementary video explaining the idea.

Reignite is excited to receive these ideas and hope that they can be integrated into their current work in Bambui.

Final Presentations

December 2015, final presentations in Melbourne, Australia with the presence of Teresa de Sousa, Team Leader and Social engineer for Reignite Action for Development and Polycarp Chungong, President of Bambui Cultural and Development Association, an engineer by profession.

May 2016, final presentations for UK and Ireland teams, in London, UK. Dr Nigel Davis represented Reignite Action for Development as a Trustee.

Bank Transfer

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